Remains Of Soldier Lost In WWII Returned To Family

by Jennifer Cope

The Department of Defense says a U.S. Serviceman has been identified after he went missing in World War II.

Marine Pfc. Randolph Allen was reported killed in action November 20th, 1943. He was from Kentucky and was assigned to the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll to secure that area against the Japanese.

That island got converted to a military base, and a lot of the people who were lost could not be located after the restructure.

In November of 2013, History Flight excavated an area on the island and discovered remains, personal items and military equipment.

Four sets of remains were identified as Japanese service members and the fifth body was identified as Allen's.

He will be buried July 29th in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

More than 400,000 soldiers died in World War II out of the 16 million who served.